In the United States and Canada, for example, many people have reported that unauthorized persons have taken funds out of their bank or financial accounts and in the worst cases, took over their identities, obtaining huge debts and committing crimes while using the victims's names. In these cases, the victim's losses may include not only financial losses, but additional financial costs associated with trying to restore his reputation. Only two forms of ID are required: a driver's license with a picture ID and a second identification, like another credit card or your Social Security card. What steps should you take to protect your identity with credit cards? Ask stores at which you are applying for credit how they safeguard credit applications. Sounds a very valid source but a lot more of a scam message, with the intention of stealing credit lines from your financing sources. Results worsen, with the complete extracted information taken by this operator, if crime has intensified, against the stolen credentials, he could turn you over to authorities, put you into a pitiful scenario on a very long-termed redemption to financial recovery. If you are in a public place, be very discreet about the financial events happening in your life. These event include big ticket purchase, capital investments, stocks or property acquisition, etc. Talking about financial events in public can lead to unwanted interest on your finances. 3. Leave you check book or check register in a safe place in your home or office. They buy the information either on the Internet or from someone who might have stolen it. They steal it from a loan or credit application form you filled out or from files at a hospital, bank, school or business that you deal with. They may have obtained it from dumpsters outside of such companies. They get it from your computer, especially those without firewalls. They may also worry that the police will try to hand the guilt over to them or make them feel stupid for being victimized in the first place. But this is not the case. The police in your area will probably have experience dealing with these types of crimes and will understand your feelings. Just remember their job is not to make you feel better, but to help you catch the criminal.